First measurement of $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^{+}$ production down to $p_\mathrm{T} = 0$ in pp and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports the first measurement of prompt $ m \Lambda_c^{+}$ baryon production at very low transverse momentum in pp and p-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV, using advanced reconstruction and machine learning techniques, providing new insights into charm hadronisation.

Contribution

It introduces novel decay reconstruction and candidate selection methods for measuring $ m \Lambda_c^{+}$ production at low $p_T$ in small collision systems, and compares results to theoretical models.

Findings

Significant modification of $ m \\Lambda_c^{+}$ mean $p_T$ in p-Pb vs. pp.

$ m \\Lambda_c^{+}/D^0$ ratio consistent across systems.

Measured nuclear modification factors $R_{pPb}$ and $R_{AA}$.

Abstract

The production of prompt $\mathrm {\Lambda_{c}^{+}}$ baryons has been measured at midrapidity in the transverse momentum interval $0<p_{\rm T}<1$ GeV/$c$ for the first time, in pp and p-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV. The measurement was performed in the decay channel ${\rm \Lambda_{c}^{+}\to p K^{0}_{S}}$ by applying new decay reconstruction techniques using a Kalman-Filter vertexing algorithm and adopting a machine-learning approach for the candidate selection. The $p_{\rm T}$-integrated $\mathrm {\Lambda_{c}^{+}}$ production cross sections in both collision systems were determined and used along with the measured yields in Pb-Pb collisions to compute the $p_{\rm T}$-integrated nuclear modification factors $R_{\rm pPb}$ and $R_\mathrm{AA}$ of $\mathrm{\Lambda_{c}^{+}}$ baryons, which are compared to model calculations that consider nuclear modification of the parton distribution functions. The $\mathrm{\Lambda_{c}^{+}/D^0}$ baryon-to-meson yield ratio is reported for pp and p-Pb collisions. Comparisons with models that include modified hadronisation processes are presented, and the implications of the results on the understanding of charm hadronisation in hadronic collisions are discussed. A significant ($3.7\sigma$) modification of the mean transverse momentum of $\mathrm {\Lambda_{c}^{+}}$ baryons is seen in p-Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions, while the $p_{\rm T}$-integrated $\mathrm{\Lambda_{c}^{+}/D^0}$ yield ratio was found to be consistent between the two collision systems within the uncertainties.